‘Game of Thrones’: 25 Most Devastating/Satisfying Deaths (Spoilers)

25. Maester Aemon

Death: Season 5, Episode 7 – “The Gift”

In a show filled with bloody and violent deaths, Maester Aemon was one of few fortunate enough to die of old age in his bed. He served as a mentor to both Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly, revealing to Jon that he was the uncle of Aerys Targaryen, better known as The Mad King.

24. Myrcella Baratheon

Death: Season 5, Episode 10 – “Mother’s Mercy”

Myrcella is Cersei and Jaime’s daughter, whom Tyrion married off to Trystane Martell of Dorne. After Ellaria Sand swears revenge against the Lannisters for Oberyn Martell’s death, Jaime travels to Dorne to save her. She is deeply in love with Trystane and doesn’t want to leave, but eventually relents when Trystane is allowed to accompany her to King’s Landing. Jaime and her share a tender moment where he admits that he is her true father, but she dies immediately after due to poison administered by Ellaria.

23. Tommen Baratheon

Death: Season 6, Episode 10 – “The Winds of Winter”

Tommen was Joffrey’s younger brother who inherited the crown after Joffrey died at his own wedding. A sweet and gentle boy, Tommen was easily manipulated by his mother Cersei, grandfather Tywin, and his wife Margaery Tyrell. After Cersei arranged for Margaery and the High Sparrow to die in the explosion at the Sept of Baelor, Tommen committed suicide, jumping from the top of the Red Keep.

22. Ser Meryn Trant

Death: Season 5, Episode 10 – “Mother’s Mercy”

Ser Meryn was a member of the Kingsguard who routinely helped Joffrey commit acts of violence against Sansa Stark. Arya Stark swore to kill him as vengeance for murdering her sword master, Syrio Forel. She got her chance when Ser Meryn visited a brothel in Braavos, where he took turns abusing several very young girls. Arya disguised herself as one of the girls and brutally killed him by cutting out his eyes and stabbing him multiple times before finally cutting his throat.

21. Three-Eyed Raven

Death: Season 6, Episode 5 – “The Door”

A mysterious and magical being, the Three-Eyed Raven called out to Bran Stark through his dreams, bringing him north of The Wall to hone his magical abilities. The Raven shows Bran visions of the past, but Bran’s impatience leads to an encounter with the Night’s King, leader of the White Walkers. The Night’s King enters The Raven’s cave and kills him without mercy.

20. Lord Commander Mormont

Death: Season 3, Episode 4 – “And Now His Watch Is Ended”

Jon Snow does not know much, but he did learn quite a bit serving under Jeor Mormont, the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Mormont led an expedition north of The Wall to investigate the threat of the White Walkers and the army of Mance Rayder, only to be betrayed by his own men when supplies ran low.

19. Lysa Arryn

Death: Season 4, Episode 7 – “Mockingbird”

Lysa was Catelyn’s sister and the wife of Jon Arryn, Lord of The Vale. But Lord Petyr Baelish manipulated her into killing her husband, with Lysa being so infatuated with Baelish that she married him, making him Lord of the Vale. He rewarded her love by throwing her through the Moon Door to her death.

18. Renly Baratheon

Death: Season 2, Episode 5 – “The Ghost of Harrenhal

King Robert’s youngest brother got it in his head that his compassionate nature would make him a better king than his brother Stannis. He managed to raise a large army—thanks to the Tyrells—but underestimated Stannis’ lust for power. The elder Baratheon deployed Melisandre to murder Renly using a magical shadow assassin.

17. Stannis Baratheon

Death: Season 5, Episode 10 – “Mother’s Mercy”

Stannis was King Robert’s brother and was the rightful heir to the throne upon Robert’s death, given the fact that all of Robert’s children were in fact the product of inbreeding between Cersei and Jaime Lannister. He went to war for the Iron Throne, suffering a crippling defeat at Blackwater Bay. He then ventured north and burned his own daughter alive in hopes it would aid his quest for power. He was ultimately beheaded by Brienne of Tarth for his role in killing his brother, Renly.

16. Shae

Death: Season 4, Episode 10 – “The Children”

Shae was Tyrion’s lover and confidant, lovingly referring to him as “my lion.” He went to great lengths to keep her safe in Kings Landing, but Tyrion forced her to leave after his marriage to Sansa Stark, fearing for her life. Shae was so hurt that she testified against Tyrion when he was tried for murdering Joffrey. When Tyrion went to confront his father after escaping his execution, he found Shae in Tywin’s bed. After a struggle, he strangled her to death.

15. Viserys Targaryen

Death: Season 1, Episode 6 – “A Golden Crown”

Viserys’ death was one of the show’s first brutally creative ways of killing off unsuspected characters. After trying Drogo’s last nerve, the Khal melts down some of his golden medallions and pours the molten remains over Viserys’ head, giving him the crown he always wanted.

14. Joffrey Baratheon

Death: Season 4, Episode 2 – “The Lion and the Rose”

This was the death every “Thrones” fan had been dreaming of. Joffrey finally kicked it early in Season 4 — at his own wedding, no less — after choking on poisoned wine. Rather than tears of sadness, there may very well have been the rare tear of joy shed following this episode.

13. Tywin Lannister

Death: Season 4, Episode 10 – “The Children”

The Lannisters are — for the most part — a family of terrible people, but Tywin may be the worst. Tyrion — who his father had sentenced to die — escapes his prison and heads to his father’s quarters to find his confidant and lover Shae in his bed. His father is busy on the toilet and after a short conversation — where Tywin consistently calls Shae a whore — Tyrion shoot his father with a crossbow while he’s still on the pot.

12. Ramsay Bolton

Death: Season 6, Episode 10 – “The Winds of Winter”

One of the most vile villains the show has ever seen, Ramsay Bolton was known for his love of torturing and mutilating the people he held captive. After being put into an arranged marriage with Sansa Stark, Ramsay repeatedly rapes and psychologically tortures her. He is defeated at the Battle of the Bastards, and Sansa watches as he is devoured by his own hounds.

11. Everyone in the Sept of Baelor

Deaths: Season 6, Episode 10 – “The Winds of Winter”

The Season 6 finale wiped quite a few pieces off the board in Kings Landing when Cersei decided to nuke the Sept of Baelor with wildfire. Those who died in the blast included: Queen Margaery, Mace Tyrell, Kevan Lannister, the High Sparrow, and Loras Tyrell.

10. Ser Barristan Selmy

Death: Season 5, Episode 4 – “Sons of the Harpy”

A legendary member of the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan wanted nothing more than to find a monarch worth serving. He got that with Daenerys Targaryen, and defended her with his life as she sought to end slavery in Slaver’s Bay. When the Sons of the Harpy attack Grey Worm, Barristan intervenes and cuts down scores of attackers before being killed himself.

9. Khal Drogo

Death: Season 1, Episode 10 – “Fire and Blood”

The fearsome Dothraki warrior was gearing up to help Daenerys invade Westeros, but succumbed to an infection from a wound sustained fighting one of his own men. He was left in a coma-like state after Daenerys used blood magic to save his life, leading her to ultimately smother him with a pillow rather than have him live a half-life.

8. Jon Snow

“Death”: Season 5, Episode 10 – “Mother’s Mercy”

Jon loses some points due to the fact that he was resurrected in Season 6. But even then, his death in the Season 5 finale was a major blow for fans. The season had been leading to a mutiny at Castle Black, and “Mother’s Mercy” saw it through — with the mutineers each taking turns stabbing Jon and muttering “For the Watch.”

7. Catelyn Stark

Death: Season 3, Episode 9 – “The Rains of Castamere”

Oh, The Red Wedding. The knife through viewers’ hearts was the death of Robb Stark, but to add insult to injury, his mother Catelyn — who wails with pain and kills one of Walder Frey’s wives after her son is killed — unceremoniously has her throat slit to cap the episode.

6. Oberyn Martell

Death: Season 4, Episode 8 – “The Mountain and the Viper”

Oberyn’s death hurt so much because he had the Mountain dead-to-rights. Then he fell into the same trap every Bond villain does — he started monologing instead of finishing the job. What followed is one of the most brutal kills in “Thrones” bloody history, as the Mountain knocks Oberyn to the ground and crushes his skull with his bare hands.

5. Shireen Baratheon

Death: Season 5, Episode 9 – “The Dance of Dragons”

Stannis’ continual brainwashing by Melisandre about the Lord of Light peaked near the end of the fifth season when he agreed to have his daughter Shireen burned on a pyre as a sacrifice.

4. Ygritte

Death: Season 4, Episode 9 – “The Watchers on the Wall”

Falling in love in Westeros usually leads to a tragic end. Ygritte and Jon fell for each other north of the Wall, but her being a wildling and his being a brother of the Night’s Watch put them at opposite sides of the fight when Mance Rayder showed up to attack Castle Black. Jon managed to talk Ygritte out of killing him, only to have her shot by Olly — thinking she was just another wildling.

3. Ned Stark

Death: Season 1, Episode 9 – “Baelor”

It’s hard to overstate the significance of Ned Stark’s death. His beheading near the end of the first season was “Game of Thrones” finally showing its hand for what kind of show fans were in for. If the first season’s main character was just offed, then that meant no one was truly safe.

2. Robb Stark

Death: Season 3, Episode 9 – “The Rains of Castamere”

The Red Wedding broke the internet. By Season 3, fans were used to constantly fearing for their favorite character’s lives, but Robb Stark’s death — and the rest at the Red Wedding — was still a massive shock. The moment was so pivotal that the show’s creators have gone on record saying they just wanted the show to last long enough to get to The Red Wedding.

1. Hodor

Death: Season 6, Episode 5 – “The Door”

What made Hodor’s Season 6 death perhaps the most devastating four minutes of television last year isn’t just that he may have been the only truly good person in the entirety of Westeros … but that he was preordained to die this way his entire life.